Cat Treats and Whipped Cream, 1997

Maura and Toonses on Christmas morning in 1997.  Toonses is "The" Toonses from Saturday Night Live. She picked the name when we got her as a kitten in 1989, along with her sister kitty, Maggie.  She fed them a piece of Pounce with whipped cream on Christmas morning.  See below.

Easter, 1997

Easter in 1997 with her mom, Judith (above) and her niece, Tori (below).

Happy Birthday, 1997

This was at a beach in Oahu with Linda, Joe and Heather.  The date stamp from this film camera shows 10 19 97, Maura's birthday.  My cousin Henry and his family lived in Hawaii at the time.

Sam and Maura, 1998

Sam's first week at home.  He was born a day after the summer solstice and obviously, looking at the open doors to the patio, it was a hot June day in 1998.  Sam was jaundiced and had to do the lamp thing.

Haven't Been On An Amusement Park Ride Since

Maura convinced JJ to ride the teacups at the fair in Ionia, Michigan in 2004.  Of course, the kid got really dizzy and ever since that day, JJ had not been on even the simplest ride on any amusement park or county fair that we visit.  We were in Michigan for a Vedder family reunion in July 2004.

This next photo is after they both got off the teacups.  The boy is scarred for life!  We joke about it to this day.

Getting Ready For A Saturday Ride, 2001

Our Saturday bike rides used to be the 60 mile Montrose ride from Descanso Gardens to San Dimas and back.  With kids, it became a short hop around Pasadena pulling both kids on the Burley trailer.  Both kids were on the Burley as soon as JJ could hold his head up with a helmet that fits.  This was December 2001.

Checking Out The New Evo, 2006

Maura and JJ checking out the new Mitsubishi Lancer EVO at the LA Auto Show, December 2006.

Kernville, 2008

On a visit to a trailer that her brother was renting out in Kernville in Feb 2008.

Collection of Barbie Dolls

Maura's collection of Barbie dolls as she displayed them in the bedroom.  Barbie dolls are just about the only thing she collected.  Her niece, Tori would play with them when she came over.  I suppose everyone else in the house didn't really touch them.

Sam and Maura, 1998

Taken sometime in 1998, this shows Sam drooling, of course with that ever-present bib.  Maura was wearing this "I'm The Boss" hat I gave her for her birthday.  The long-standing joke was she and I were always arguing who the boss was in the house -- so for her birthday, I let her be the boss for a day.  This was late afternoon at the backyard in the Pasadena house.

At Goleta Beach, 1999

This is Maura and Sam before JJ was born.  Our good friend cycling friend, Paul is in the background. We went to Santa Barbara a lot since Paul got a post-doc position at UCSB.  We used to ride our bikes a lot out there as well before kids.  Goleta beach has a lot of tar and Maura always gets it on her feet and the running joke between me and Paul is that if there is tar on the beach, she is sure to get it.

Halloween, 1984

This is Maura and her sister Jennifer dressed up for Halloween in 1984.  I found the photo in one of her albums and this was a year before I met her.  It looks like the living room at the West Covina house where she grew up.

Cycling Photo, 1986

This was a Polaroid from a shoot for a cycling magazine taken in August 1986.  That is not her bike, nor her clothes nor her helmet.  However, I believe those were her cycling shoes and she had very long, narrow feet so she definitely needed to always wear her own.  I still have several slides and a couple Polaroids from that shoot.  I never found out who the photographer was.

Portrait, 2006

I snapped this photo in 2006 while she was standing in the dining room at the Pasadena house, sometime late morning from the way the shade is partially open in the south-facing window.  I wanted to include that fish/wire ornament that she hang on the wall.

Graduation At USC, 2007

This was the happiest I've seen her in a while and she looked great in that red gown.  I took this photo as the doctoral candidates were marching toward the stage and the kids got her attention at they yelled "Mama!"

Home, 2000

This was taken during JJ's first week at home in Pasadena.  This is the kids' bedroom with the crib and changing table in the background.  Sam at 20 months had always welcomed his baby brother since that day he came home.  February 2000.

Bakersfield Biathlon Winner, 1985

Trophy in hand, 1985.

USC Office

Heart box, model 1969 Corvette at her desk in the USC office

USC Office

Another Tour de France poster in Maura's office.  Taken with cell phone camera in 2008

USC Office

Maura's office at USC has this Lance Armstrong poster I gave her for Christmas. 2008

Home, 2002

Given the hand gestures, I can only guess Sam, Maura and JJ were watching a video of "The Wiggles" -- some silly kid's sing-a-long show.  This was the living room at the Pasadena house.  The green couch had gotten really ratty so there was always some sheets over it.  The cats also had a lot of dander so the sheet cover was easier to wash.  Taken on Feb 17, 2002

Swing, Batter, Batter, Batter, 2002

Maura taking a swing with a plastic bat just outside her sister's house in 2002.

Mineral King, 2002

Sugie, Tori, Maura and Sam at the cabin in Mineral King, inside Sequoia National Park on July 29, 2002.  Chris and Dennise Keller introduced us to Mineral King and we've been going to this part of the park, 25 miles from the main highway.  We were about to grill something for dinner when I took this shot.

Men's Health Magazine Article 2007

http://www.menshealth.com/health/unleash-your-inner-healing

This is an August 2007 article in Men's Health Magazine that quoted Maura.  We saved a copy of the issue and is stashed away somewhere in the house.

Sacramento Visit, 1992

Maura with her Uncle Don and Aunt Cindy in Sacramento.  Don and Cindy live in Fenwick, Michigan and were very supportive of Maura's cycling.  They came out to Wyoming the following year to watch her race for 7 days at the Casper Classic.  Her Aunt Betty, Aunt Patty and Uncle Jack all lived in the Sacramento metropolitan area.

Karen and Maura, 1999

This is Maura with her high school friend Karen in 1999.  Karen lives up in Woodside (just West of Palo Alto) but made it back to West Covina every so often and they would get together.  This was at a park in West Covina at the corner of Cameron and Lark Ellen.  Sam looks like he was crying but I did not take the picture so I can't really tell.

Manhattan Beach, 1999

This is Sam and Maura at Manhattan Beach sometime in 1999.  We ate lunch at Captain Kidd's and decided to hang out and play by the water.  JJ is actually in this picture -- inside Maura's belly.

Staring At The Sea, 2006

She did a lot of just sitting at the beach and staring at the sea.  This one was taken at El Capitan State Beach, just outside of Santa Barbara.  For years, our family camping trip was at El Cap and the beach was just a few hundred yards from our campsite.  The silhouette is definitely Maura.  Photo taken 7/7/06.

Atop Mt. Haleakala, 2003

It was, of course, 80 degrees everywhere else in Maui except at the top of Mt. Haleakala.  Sam did not bring a jacket but being in Hawaii, we always had a beach towel in the car.  Maura's hair gives an indication of how strong the winds were on that day.  Photo taken on 8/24/03.

Kailua-Kona 2004

The shopping center in Kailua-Kona, in the Big Island was within walking distance of the hotel we were staying at.  I saw the backdrop and got Maura and JJ to pose for an quick portrait.   JJ, being the character he is, decided to make a face instead of a smile.  She got the turtle clay necklace earlier in the trip.  Photo taken on 8/29/04.

Melona Bars, Kauai 2005

Ever since the kids tried these melona ice cream bars in 2002, they've been eating them every time we visit the islands.  This was taken on 7/14/05 after eating lunch at JJ Diner.

Kids First Time In Hawaii, 2002

This picture was taken on the kids' first trip to Hawaii in 2002.  Maura had a conference in late April and we tagged along.  She, of course, "worked" while kids and I enjoyed Waikiki.  We didn't even rent a car and just took a double stroller everywhere we went.

Kauai, 2007

JJ and Maura at the beach in Kamalani Park in Kauai, 12/1/07.  This was taken around noon but being December in Kauai, it was somewhat overcast but the water was still warm.

At Cheyenne Zoo, Colorado Springs

I traveled quite at bit to Colorado Springs in the 90s while working for Hughes Space & Communications. At times, I would stay there for a week or more and Maura would often fly out to hang with me.  We went all over the place -- Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, Royal Gorge, etc.  Definitely before kids and when Sam was born, guess where was his first plane trip to?  Colorado Springs, of course, because I was working there up until 1999.

This particular shot was taken with a disposable panoramic camera which I bought on the way up to Cheyenne Mountain.

At Casper Classic, 1993

Maura raced at the Casper Classic, a 7-stage race in Casper, Wyoming.  This is during 1993 race at the start line just prior to the time trial.  Being from Los Angeles, she suffered quite a bit in the nasty crosswinds and the high elevation of Casper.  Nonetheless, she dreamed of doing these multi-day races and overall enjoyed traveling through the southwestern United States.

At Tour of St. George, 1994

Pam Gregg, Maura, Sharon Beckman and Laura Murphy posing for the camera in Team Canyon Velo outfits.  This was in 2004 in the hills just outside St. George, Utah.  They competed in this 3-stage race that consisted of a time trial, a road race and a criterium.